The impact of methanogenesis on flow and transport in coarse sand

The effects of biofilm growth and methane gas generation on water flow in porous media were investigated in an anaerobic two-dimensional sand-filled cell. Inoculation of the lower portion of the cell with a methanogenic culture and addition of methanol to the bottom of the cell led to biomass growth and formation of a gas phase. Biomass distributions in the water and on the sand in the cell were measured by protein analysis. The biofilm distribution on sand was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The formation, migration, distribution and saturation of gases in the cell were visualized by the charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. The effects of biofilm and gas generation on water flow were separated by performing one tracer test in the presence of both biofilm and a gas phase and a second tracer test after removal of the gas phase through water flushing. The results of tracer tests demonstrated that flow and transport in the two-dimensional cell were significantly affected by both gas generation and biofilm growth. Gas generated at the bottom of the cell in the biologically active zone moved upwards in discrete fingers, so that gas phase saturations (gas-filled fraction of void space) in the biologically active zone at the bottom of the cell did not exceed 40-50%, while gas accumulation at the top of the cell produced gas phase saturations as high as 80%. The greatest reductions in water phase permeability, based on measurements of reductions in water phase saturations, occurred near the top of the box as a result of the gas accumulation. In contrast the greatest reductions in permeability due to biofilm growth, based on measurements of biofilm thickness, occurred in the most biologically active zone at the bottom of the cell, where gas phase saturations were approximately 40-50%, but permeability reductions due to biofilm growth were estimated to be 80-95%.     

污染防治设施社会化运营模式及其对区域环境与经济协调发展的影响

针对城市化进程加快引发的一系列环境污染问题,指出了加快污染防治设施社会化运营的必要性,并从污染治理设施的种类、污染治理设施的社会化运营分析和运作模式三方面论述了如何进行污染治理设施的社会化运营,从经济发展、污染防治设施运行、引入竞争机制等方面概述了污染防治设施社会化运营对区域环境与经济协调发展的影响。     

Estimating the variance in before-after studies

Problem

To simplify the computation of the variance in before-after studies, it is generally assumed that the observed crash data for each entity (or observation) are Poisson distributed. Given the characteristics of this distribution, the observed value (x_i) for each entity is implicitly made equal to its variance. However, the variance should be estimated using the conditional properties of this observed value (defined as a random variable), that is, f(x_i|μ_i), since the mean of the observed value is in fact unknown.

Method

Parametric and non-parametric bootstrap methods were investigated to evaluate the conditional assumption using simulated and observed data.

Results

The results of this study show that observed data should not be used as a substitute for the variance, even if the entities are assumed to be Poisson distributed. Consequently, the estimated variance for the parameters under study in traditional before-after studies is likely to be underestimated.

Conclusions

The proposed methods offer more accurate approaches for estimating the variance in before-after studies.     

人本理念与公共安全

事故发生后,有效的补救可以减轻伤害,然而一个基本的事实是,任何事后的弥补措施,都将无法挽回那些在灾难中失去的可贵生命。我们不得不重新思考预防为主的原则,因为唯有如此,才能够通过各种有效的措旋,尽可能在事前避免事故发生或减轻事故危害程度。然而,如何才能达到有效的预防？对预防而言,什么才是深层次的决定因素？     

城市火灾的马尔可夫链预测方法

对1951-2004年间城市火灾起火数据进行分析,可以看出城市火灾发生率具有马尔可夫性.用马尔可夫链预测方法对2005年城市火灾发生率进行了预测,得到预测值与实际值完全吻合.用1991-2004年间城市火灾发生的实际数据对该方法进行了检验,说明该方法的可行性.预测结果表明,马尔可夫链预测方法用于城市火灾发生率及其分级的预测是一种切实可行的方法.     

Future of global governance and climate change action in a changing political landscape

<正>1.Editor's note On 30 November 2016,the Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy(BTC),Caixin Video,and Columbia Global Centers(Beijing)jointly hosted a Seminar on the Future of Global Governance and Climate Change Action in a Changing Political Landscape.Leading experts on China's environmental policy and climate     

三氯卡班可以影响肾小管上皮细胞的屏障功能

三氯卡班(TCC)是一种被广泛应用于个人护理用品中的广谱型亲脂性杀菌剂,已在多种环境介质和生物体中检出。因其潜在的环境蓄积、生物累积和生物毒性效应,日益受到学者们的关注。借助TCC对NRK-52E(大鼠肾小管上皮细胞)的毒性暴露实验,通过检测细胞活力、以及与跨膜电阻和紧密连接相关的连接黏附分子1(JAM~(-1),junctional adhesion molecule 1)的蛋白表达水平,研究了TCC潜在的肾脏毒性效应。结果显示,10μmol·L~(-1)TCC处理48 h时培养细胞呈现不规则的集落;10μmol·L~(-1)和20μmol·L~(-1)TCC处理NRK-52E 24 h、48 h和72 h后可以显著抑制细胞生长;3.57μmol·L~(-1)TCC(生长抑制的48 hIC20)处理NRK-52E 48 h可以显著抑制细胞间紧密连接蛋白JAM~(-1)的表达量,并降低跨膜电阻,影响肾脏的屏障功能。本研究的结果能够为进一步揭示TCC对动物的毒害机制、评估其对动物的健康风险提供数据支持。     

土壤Cd污染对跳虫Folsomia candida的生态毒性

采矿及冶炼等行为造成了严重的土壤重金属污染,其中Cd污染及其带来的健康风险近年来引起人们的高度重视。利用弹尾目跳虫开展土壤Cd污染的生态毒理研究,对Cd污染土壤的生态风险评价具有重要意义。本研究将跳虫Folsomia candida(F.candida)暴露在不同Cd浓度污染的人工土壤中,利用跳虫存活数量、繁殖数量及回避行为实验来评价重金属Cd污染对跳虫的生态毒性。结果表明,Cd对F.candida的急性毒性LC50值为2 086.93 mg·kg~(-1),慢性毒性的繁殖抑制(28 d)EC50值为224.95 mg·kg~(-1)。此外,Cd对跳虫回避行为影响的EC50(48 h)为721.26 mg·kg~(-1)。可以看出,慢性毒性的EC50值与Cd对回避行为影响的EC50值近似,但远低于急性毒性LC50值。因此,跳虫F.candida的回避行为和繁殖率对Cd污染土壤有较高的灵敏度,可用来表征土壤中Cd的生态毒性。     

3种典型微生物农药对家蚕的毒性研究

苏云金芽孢杆菌、球孢白僵菌以及棉铃虫核型多角体病毒是细菌类、真菌类和病毒类微生物农药的典型代表。为了明确微生物农药对家蚕的毒性影响,选取以上3种典型微生物农药,分别探究其对家蚕的毒性。结果显示:苏云金杆菌原药对家蚕LC50值为1.33×105CFU·m L-1;球孢白僵菌原药对家蚕LC50值为1.14×106CFU·m L-1;棉铃虫核型多角体病毒母药对家蚕LC50值大于1.00×108PIB·m L-1。与此同时,通过进一步试验,明确了以上3种微生物农药对家蚕结茧率、死笼率、全茧量、茧层量等关键指标的影响。结果显示:除了棉铃虫核型多角体病毒母药,高浓度苏云金杆菌原药、球孢白僵菌原药对家蚕的结茧率和死笼率均具有显著影响;3种微生物农药对家蚕产茧能力指标全茧量、茧层量以及蛹重均无显著性影响。     

Effect of copper(II) on biodegradation of benzo[a]pyrene by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) biodegradation by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was studied under the influence of co-existed Cu(II) ions. About 45% degradation was achieved within 3 d when dealing with 1 mg L^?1 BaP under initial natural pH at 30 °C; degradation reached 48% in 2 d at 35 °C. Efficacy of BaP biodegradation reached the highest point at pH 4. In the presence of 10 mg L^?1 Cu(II) ions, the BaP removal ratio was 45% on 7th day, and maintained stable from 7 to 14 d at 30 °C under natural pH. The favorable temperature and pH for BaP removal was 25 °C and 6.0 respectively, when Cu(II) ions coexisted in the solutions. Experiments on cometabolism indicated that S. maltophilia performed best when sucrose was used as an additional carbon source. GC–MS analysis revealed that the five rings of BaP opened, producing compounds with one or two rings which were more bioavailable.